MLDSC Research SeriesThe MLDS Center research series is a forum to bring together researchers, policy makers, and practitioners to discuss MLDS Center research works in progress. Additionally, we invite experts from across the State to present research studies that may inform MLDS Center research projects.

Upcoming Research Series

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Presenters: TBA

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December 2018

Date: 12/06/2018

Presenters: Dr. Dawnsha R. Mushonga, Investigator, MLDS Center and Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Maryland, School of Social Work

Topic: Using Longitudinal Data to Assess Long-Term Outcomes Associated with Poverty in Maryland Students

Presentation Abstract: Poverty affects more than 15 million children who are disproportionately racial/ethnic minorities and has been linked to negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement and decreased lifelong earnings. Extant literature has highlighted the profound effects of poverty for students exposed for longer periods of time; however, few studies have focused on disentangling the roles of poverty and race on students’ long-term outcomes. To better understand the multifaceted role of poverty, this study used data from the Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS) to examine the relation between student-level poverty and race and school-level poverty and racial composition to predict students’ long-term educational and career outcomes. This presentation provides an update on findings presented in July to the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education. Our findings aid policy makers and practitioners in identifying at-risk students and targeting interventions at the individual and school levels to combat the negative effects of poverty and promote students’ academic and career success.

Topic: Remedial Coursework in Maryland Community Colleges: Disentangling Student and High School Level Predictors

Presentation Abstract: Remedial courses at community colleges are designed to develop the skills of students who are underprepared for the academic rigor of college courses. A significant portion of students in Maryland and nationwide are assessed to need remedial coursework each year. This study used data from the Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS) to examine the individual- and high school-level characteristics that predict the need for remediation in Maryland community colleges. The results can help policy makers and practitioners identify at-risk students before they arrive at college in order to help better prepare them for college-level coursework and reduce the need for remediation among recent high school graduates.

Presentation Abstract: This presentation will cover the methodology of the longitudinal and historical poverty analysis and subsequent school-level and student subgroup analyses using data from Baltimore City Public Schools. The second part of the presentation will discuss how the Office of Achievement and Accountability (OAA) in Baltimore City Public Schools assessed the impact of the change in the poverty measurement process on school-level poverty rates using a multivariate prediction model.

Topic: The Relationship Between Poverty and Long-Term Student Outcomes: Disentangling the Effects of Individual and School Poverty

Presentation Abstract: The MLDS Center is examining the effects of school-level concentrated poverty and individual student poverty on outcomes such as high school graduation, entry and persistence in post-secondary education, entry into the workforce, and wages earned. From previous research, we know that both individual poverty and school-level poverty are significant barriers to educational success, but the relative impact of these factors and how they interact is unclear. We used statewide longitudinal data to examine the relative impact and interaction of student- and school-level poverty on long-term outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that defining poverty based on students’ status at a single point in time, rather than considering their history of poverty, may lead to underestimating poverty’s effects. Findings also suggest that while both student poverty and school-level concentrations of poverty have a significant and negative effect on students’ outcomes, the effect of school-level poverty is considerably larger than that of individual poverty alone.

Presentation Abstract: For decades, policymakers and researchers have used value-added models that rely solely on student test scores to measure teacher quality. However, since teaching ability is multidimensional, test-score value-added measures of teacher quality may not fully capture the impact of teachers on students. In this talk, Dr. Pope will present research using test-score and non-test-score measures of student achievement and behavior from over a million students in the Los Angeles Unified School District to estimate multiple dimensions of teacher quality. Results indicate that test-score and non- test-score measures of teacher quality are only weakly correlated, and that both measures of teacher quality affect students’ performance in high school. Results from a simulation study removing teachers based on both dimensions of teacher quality show improvement in most long-term student outcomes by over 50 percent compared to removal of teachers using test scores alone. The long-term effects of teachers in later grades are larger than in earlier grades and that performance in core elementary school subjects matters more for long-term outcomes than other subjects.

Topic: The Effect of High School Career and Technical Education on Postsecondary Enrollment and Early Career Wages

Presentation Abstract: Career and Technical Education (CTE) has become a topic of considerable policy-making interest as a way of providing specialized education and expanding the number of career pathways available to high schools students. This research examines the effect of CTE program completion during high school on postsecondary outcomes, including college enrollment and workforce wages. Using propensity score matching, this research uses MLDS data to estimate a causal effect of CTE on postsecondary enrollment and wages up to six years after high school graduation.